A serious problem that people face today is the
disintegration of the social fabric of societies. This collapse
is discernable in various ways. Broken families, the increase
in divorce and illegitimate births naturally lead to the destruction
of the institution of the family. Stress, anxiety, unhappiness,
worry and chaos turn the lives of many people into a real
nightmare. People living in a spiritual void, looking for
a way out of their depression, fall into a bleak mire of alcohol
or drugs. Some, who think that there is no solution to be
found, consider suicide as a way out.

One of the striking marks of social decline is
the huge increase in illicit activities. The level of crime
has reached proportions that astound even experts. The report,
“Universal Crime and Justice,” prepared by the
United Nations’International Crime Prevention Center,
contains a general appraisal of crime throughout the world:

Basically, as in the 1980’s,
the crime rate continued to rise in the 1990’s.

Everywhere in the world, in a five-year period, two-thirds
of the people living in large cities have been the target
at least once of a criminal action.

All over the world, the odds of being the target of a serious
crime (robbery, sexual crimes, assault) are one in five.
Regardless of the area, crimes against property, and crimes
of violence committed by youth, have both had economic ramifications.

The number of types of illicit drugs has increased and their
nature diversified in recent years.21

The growth in the number of those who perpetrate evil
is proved by the numerous instances of immorality reported
in the newspapers. Such instances announce the coming
of the End Times.

The period referred to as the End Times will be a time
of extreme social disintegration. The structures that
form the basis of society will be seriously undermined.
In the hadiths of the Prophet (saas), there is much to
bring to light the collapse of the fabric of today’s
societies.

Actually, all this is not surprising. The causes
of such a societal phenomenon are clearly related in the Qur’an,
in the accounts of past societies. Social deterioration, and
all the various problems associated with it, are the inevitable
result of human beings’forgetting Allah and the purposes
of their creation, and their abandoning religion and its spiritual
values.

The aspects of this social deterioration we see
happening so prevalently today were predicted by the Prophet
(saas) fourteen centuries ago. Allah's Messenger (saas) described
the End Times as “When people suffer strife and social
upheaval” (Ahmad Diya’al-Din al-Kamushkhanawi,
Ramuz al-Ahadith). The following are the hadiths relevant
to its first phase:

It
can be understood from the hadiths that the increase in the
amount of evil people, the fact those people regarded as trustworthy
are liars, and the fact that some who are regarded as liars
are actually trustworthy, are characteristics of the End Times.

There will be years of deceit,
in which a truthful person will be disbelieved
and a liar will be believed

(Ibn Kathir)

The time will
be years of confusion. People will believe a
liar, and disbelieve one who tells the truth.
People will distrust one who is trustworthy,
and trust one who is treacherous.

(Ahmad)

The day of Judgment will not
come until the very lowest people are the happiest.

(Tirmidhi)

One
hadith reveals that there will be few trustworthy people and
little money earned according to the rules and laws of our
religion:

In the End Times, people will
be carrying out their trade but hardly will
there be a trustworthy person.

(Bukhari and Muslim)

Truthful
testimony will be neglected while false testimony and slander
will be widespread. This is yet another sign:

Verily in the presence of the
Last Hour, there would be … false testimony
and concealing evidence.

(Ahmad and Hakim)

There will be false accusation
of unchastity and slander.

(Tirmidhi)

The
only measure by which people will be judged will be wealth,
respect being dependent on how rich a person is:

Before the Hour comes, there
will be special greeting for the people of distinction.

(Ahmad)

There will be no Judgment until
greetings are given not to the people but to
particular individuals.

(Mukhtasar Tazkirah
Qurtubi )

It
is said in the hadiths that another sign it the destruction
of social relations between people:

Only people one knows will be
greeted with the salaam...
(Ahmad Diya’al-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz
al-Ahadith)

One of the most important features of the
End Times will be the cessation of love and respect among
people. A sick person lying in the street, with no one
offering him assistance, will be a common sight.

In
the hadith quoted below, it is stressed that positions of
responsibility will be given to those who are not competent:

When the power or authority comes
in the hands of unfit persons, then wait for
the Hour (Doomsday.).

(Bukhari)

Another
characteristic of the period will be the disintegration of
relationships among families, between friends and neighbors,
and the loss of community and spiritual values:

A man is unfilial towards his
mother, and drives his
father far off...

(Tirmidhi)

There would (first) be turmoil
for a person in regard to his family, his property,
his own self, his children, his neighbors.

(Bukhari and Muslim)

Young
people will be rebellious and the love and respect between
young people and adults will deteriorate:

When the old have no compassion
for the young, when the young show no respect
to the old … when children grow angry
… Judgment is at hand.

(Reported by Omar
(r.a.)

The
hadiths show that another characteristic of the End Times
will be that divorce and the number of children born outside
marriage will increase:

Divorces will be a daily occurrence.
(‘Allamah Safarini, Ahwal Yaum al-Qiyamah)
There will be an abundance of illegitimate children.

(Al-Muttaqi Al-Hindi,
Muntakhab Kanzul Ummaal)

Influenced
by materialism and their worldview, people will be excessively
attached to this world, and will forget about the afterlife.
This is another characteristic of the End Times:

Meanness and greed will multiply.
(Muslim, Ibn Majah)
At that time, people will sell their religion
for a small amount of worldly goods.

(Ahmad)

A
hadith reveals that people will curse and swear at each other:

In the Last Days, there will
be such people, who, when they meet, curse and
abuse each other instead of greeting (with salaam).

(Allama Jalaluddin
Suyuti, Durre-Mansoor)

Another
characteristic of the period will be gossip and mockery of
other people:

There will be an abundance of
critics, tale-carriers, backbiters and taunters
in society.

(Al-Muttaqi Al-Hindi,
Muntakhab Kanzul Ummaal)

Insincere
flatterers will be respected:

As Judgment draws near ... the
most respected people of the age will be lickspittles
and sycophants.

(Agreed upon)

The Last Hour will not arrive
till people come forth who make a living with
their tongues as cows eat with their tongues.

(Tirmidhi)

Another
sign of the End Times to be frequently encountered will be
dishonesty in business and bribery:

Deceit and cheating will be common,
(‘Allamah Safarini, Ahwal Yaum al-Qiyamah)
Bribes will be called gifts, and will be considered
lawful.

(Amal al-Din al-Qazwini,
Mufid al-'ulum wa-mubid al-humum)

The noticeable increase in murders is a sign announced
in the hadiths.

The
Prophet (saas) describes the increase of murder in the End
Times in these words:

The Hour (Last Day) will not
be established until murder will increase.

(Bukhari )

21. United Nations Office for
Drug Control and Crime Prevention, Global Report on Crime
and Justice, 1999, http://www.uncjin.org/Special/GlobalReport.html